Mining-machine.



F. S. WASHBURN.

MINING MAC'HINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, I911.

1 %6 619. Patented Feb. 19,1918.

FRANK S. WASI-IBURN, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR 'IO GOODMAN MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MINING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK S. \VASHBURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inMining-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mining machines, and has for its object. to provide a new and improved machine of this description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a plan view showing a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Referrring now to the drawings, I have illustrated a mining machine having a frame 1 upon which is mounted a motor 2. A cutting device projects from said frame. As herein shown this cutting device comprises a cutter arm 3, about which moves a chain 4 actuated by the motor, said chain carrying a series of cutters 5 which engage the material to be acted upon. A suitable feeding mechanism is provided for feeding the machine forward to bring the cutting device into proper relation to the material to be acted upon. This feeding mechanism comprises a flexible power transmitting device wound about a drum 7 and engaging a pulley 8 connected with the frame of the machine. The drum 7 is rotated by the gear 9 which engages teeth 10 on the inner face of the drum. The gear 9 is connected with shaft 11, said shaft being operatively connected with the motor 2. A clutch 12 is preferably provided so that the feeding mechanism may be disconnected from the motor. In view of the fact that the cutting device projects from the front end of the machine, it is found that when the feeding mechanism is brought into action the resistance of the face of the material to be acted upon coming upon the cutters tends to cause the rear end of the machine to move forward more rapidly than the front end.

' so that the machine takes an inclined position with the cutting device to the rear. Some suitable retarding device is provided for preventing the too rapid forward movement of the rear end of the machine. In

the construction shown this retarding devlce consists of a flexible power transmitting device 13, connected with a fixed de-' machine, so that it can be held tight or loosened up as required to hold the rear end of the machine back sufficiently to secure the proper forward feeding movement. Some suitable means is provided for preventing the coils of the power transmitting device on the post 15 from coming into contact with each other, for otherwise the flexible power transmitting device would soon be destroyed, and, in addition, the control thereof would be more difficult and the device would not be so responsive to the variations in power applied to the loose end. As herein shown the post 15 is provided. with a spiral groove 17 which extends thereabout, and which is arranged so that the convolutions thereof are of proper size and shape to receive the coils of the flexible power transmitting device, and prevent undue pressure between the several coils thereof.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

When the machine is being used the flexible power transmitting device 13 is coiled a times about the post 15 sufficient number of and the loose end 16 thereof is grasped by the operator. The machine is fed forward by the rotation of the drum 7, and is retarded by the flexible power transmitting device 18. If the rear end of the machine begins to lag behind because of the retarding device, the operator slacks up on the loose end 16 and permits the flexible power trans-' mitting device to slide on the post 15, thus relieving the pressure and permitting the rear end of the machlne to be moved forward by the feeding mechanism. If, on the other hand, the rear end of the machine is moved forward to too great an extent, the

operator pulls upon the loose end 16 of the flexible power transmitting device 13 so as to prevent the slipping movement thereof on the post 15, thus causing the feeding mechanism to gradually move the cutter end of the ma-' chine forward so as to bring the machine into proper position.

It will thus be seen that by means of this construction the feeding of the machine can be properly controlled by the operator without undue injury to the controlling mechanism, and that the controlling mechanism is responsive and easily controlled.

it will be noted, that in this construction.

the flexible power transmitting device 1 3 which passes around the post and WhlCll is connected to a fixed part, is in fact con-v nected with the frame. of the machine above the plane of the cuttenan'd hence the pull ofthis flexible power transmitting device in holding back the machine tends to tip the machine so as to cause the cutter to rise as the machine passes along the face of the coal. This tilting ofthe machine and the cutter is aggravated when a smooth post 15 is used, by the fact that the coils of the rope slide up toward the top, thus increasing the leverage and increasing the tipping effect of the power transmitting device 18. This tilting of the cutter causes the cutter to move upwardly on an incline and form an inclined I uponthe machine.

cut as the machine passes along the face of the coal. This moving up of the cutter must be prevented, for if not prevented, the out no longer remains at the bottom of the seam but on the other hand gradually moves up above the bottom of the seam, leaving a layer of coal below the cut, and this coal is either One of the objects of the present device is to avoid thisevil, It will be noted that in this device, as the machine moves across the face of the coal the flexible power transmitting device 13 is paid out from the post 15. 1t

i will further be noted that that portion that is being paid out is at the bottom of the post, and that means are provided for keeping it at the bottom of the post at all times and thereby'reducing the tilting lever arm to a minimum and keeping at this minimum dur- 'ing the entire operation of the machine.

This is clearly illustrated, forexample, in F ig; 2. The frame 1 of the machine, as

illustrated in this figure, is preferably just of sufficient height to give proper space for the cutter chain and a proper thickness of metal at the bottom and top to secure a strong structure and the paying out portion of the rope 18, that is the portion thatleaves the post, is located and held at the'bottfom of the post and very near the center line of the chain, thus reducing this tilting lever armto a mlnimum and the grooved construction holds it at this minimum at all times.

I claim: I i

1. A mining machine comprising a frame, a cutting device projecting therefrom, a motor mounted on said frame, a feeding mech anism for feedingthe cutting device toward the material to be'acted upon, a non-rotating vertical post connected with said frame, a spiral groove onjsaid vertical post, a fleXi-" ble power transmitting device arranged' about said vertical postto form coils which fit into said spiral groove, said coils having a sliding engagementwith said post when the machine is inoperation, the end of the flexible power transmitting device being free so as to be grasped by the operator, said flexible power transmitting device connected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine, the point of application of the retarding force being relatively to the rearof the point of application of the feeding force. Y 7 V 2. A mining machine comprising aframe,

a cutting device projecting therefrom, a mo-i tor mounted on said frame, a feeding mechanism for feeding the cutting device toward the material to be acted upon, comprismg a flexible power transmitting device 0011- nected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine and means forwinding up said flexible power transmitting device, a. retardlng device for retarding the movement of the rear end of the machine in responsetoi the feeding mechanism, comprising a second flexible power transmitting device having one end connected with a fixed part at a; distance from the machine, a non-rotating part on the machine about which said sec.

ond power transmitting device is ooiled,.and having a sliding engagement therewith when the machine is in operation, theloose end thereof projecting from the machine so as to be grasped by the operator, said part being in off-set relation to the point where the flexible power transmitting device ofthe feedinglnechanism leaves the machine,

said non-rotating part about which thesec-' ond power transmitting device is coiled be-' ing provided with a spiral groove whereby the second power transmitting device pays off from the fixed part at a fixed point near the bottom thereof at all times. 3. A mining machine comprising a frame,

a cutting device projecting therefrom, a mo-' tor mounted on said frame, a feeding mechanism for feeding the cutting device toward I the material to be acted upon, comprising. a flexible power transmitting device connected with a fixed part at a distance from,

the machine and means for winding up said flexible power transmitting device, a retarding device for retarding the movement ofthe rear end of the machine in response to the feeding mechanism, comprising a second flexible power transmitting device having one end connected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine, a non-rotating part on the machine about which said second power transmitting device is coiled, and having a sliding engagement therewith when the machine is in operation, the loose end thereof projecting from the machine so as to be grasped by the operator, said part being in off-set relation to the point where the flexible power transmitting device of the feeding mechanism leaves the machine, and means for relieving the pressure between the coils of said second flexible power transmitting device so that it may be easily paid out as the machine moves along and for maintaining a constant distance between the center line of the cutting device and the point where said second power transmitting device pays 01f from the non-rotating part, said means comprising said non-rotating part, said non-rotating part having a spi 'al groove extending thereabout, the second flexible power transmitting device adapted to be wound about the post in said groove to form coils which fit in said spiral groove.

4. A mining machine comprising a frame, a cutting device projecting therefrom, a motor mounted on said frame, a feeding mechanism for feeding the cutting device toward the material to be acted upon comprising a flexible power t *ansmitting device connected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine and means for winding up said flexible power transmitting device, a retarding device for retarding the movement of the rear end of the machine in response to the feeding mechanism comprising a second flexible power t'ansmitting device, having one end connected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine, the two said fixed parts being in offset relation, a vertical nonrotating post fixed to the machine having a spiral groove extending therearound so as to form a series of convolutions, said spiral groove substantially uniform in depth throughout its entire length, said second power transmitting device coiled about said post, the coils being received in such spiral groove and having a sliding engagement therewith when the machine is in operation, the loose end thereof projecting from the machine so as to be grasped by the operator, said groove extending to the bottom of said post, the second power transmitting device paying off from the post at the lower end of said groove.

5. A mining machine comprising a frame, a cutting device projecting therefrom. a motor mounted on said frame, a feeding mechanism for feeding the cutting device toward the material to be acted upon comprising a flexible power transmitting device connected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine and means for winding up said flexible power transmitting device, a retarding device for retarding the movement of the rear end of the machine in response to the feeding mechanism comprising a second flexible power transmitting device, having one end connected with a fixed part at a distance from the machine, the two said fixed parts being in offset relation, a vertical, nonrotating post fixed to the machine, said post decreasing in diameter from the bottom toward the top and having a spiral groove extending therearound so as to form a series of convolution said spiral groove substantially uniform in depth throughout its entire length, said second power transmitting device coiled about said post, the coils being received in such spiral groove and having a sliding engagement therewith when the machine is in ope 'ation, the loose end thereof projecting from the machine so as to be grasped by the operator, the other end of the second flexible power transmitting device paying off from said post at the lower end of said groove.

FRANK S. VASHBURN. Witnesses:

CHARLES A. Paa'r'r, Faro H. J onxs'rox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

